The NFL season of 2023 has spun a unique tale, and it appears as though quarterback Josh Dobbs’ storyline is almost done. After a difficult performance on Monday night, in which quarterback Josh Dobbs threw four interceptions in a close 12-10 loss to the Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell stated that the team will use their next bye week to choose the best course of action at quarterback.
Just five days after being acquired by the Vikings from the Arizona Cardinals in a trade in late October, Dobbs was thrown into a pivotal position in Week 9. After rookie Jaren Hall suffered a concussion, there was an immediate need. Complicating matters further, veteran Nick Mullens, the team’s designated backup, had a back issue at the time and was placed on injured reserve.
Now that Hall has been released from the concussion protocol and Mullens has returned to the active roster, O’Connell is thinking about the team’s quarterback position. “We’re going to take a look and really evaluate the inventory of plays we have of Josh,” O’Connell said. “We got healthy. We got Jaren back available to us, and then Nick Mullens is available as well.”
O’Connell acknowledged that Dobbs had a difficult Monday night and that they were about to look for a spark to get the team going. Still, O’Connell praised Dobbs for his tenacity, saying that he “battled, no flinch, and just kept playing and competing to try and help us win.”
In his four games with the Vikings, Dobbs has committed eight turnovers overall, indicating that he has struggled despite his best efforts. Throughout the season, the team has struggled with turnovers; they now rank 31st in the NFL in terms of turnovers per game (2.0) and 30th in terms of turnover margin per game (-0.67).
Dobbs expressed displeasure and a will to learn from his blunders while admitting to his mistakes. “I’ll be better from it. I’ll learn from every single one of them tonight, and we’ll use it to build momentum into the next opportunity,” he declared.
But the question that remains is whether Dobbs will get another chance. When asked about this, Dobbs replied, “Honestly, I think that’s a coaching decision. I just focus on myself. Focus on how I can help this team win. Focus on how I can be a better teammate and a better quarterback, and focus on how I can make sure the offense is in the right play based on the scenario to go out and execute.”
